BY MICHAEL GARDNER – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
Remember 1985? If you were wearing parachute pants, sporting a mullet and can relate to any of these developments, chances are you do. The hit charity single “We are the World” was recorded by USA for Africa. Wrestlemania debuted at Madison Square Gardens. Coca-Cola debuted something called the “New Coke.” The movie, “Back to the Future” became a box office smash while Nintendo introduced its Entertainment System and “Super Mario Bros” to the world.
For hockey fans, 1985 was the first and only year in which the Toronto Maple Leafs were able to draft first overall. Seems weird for a team that hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in over 40 years to only have one first overall pick to show for it doesn’t it? But that’s another blog. Today’s blog is about the greatest Leafs draft pick ever, Wendel Clark.
I wonder if then general manager Gerry McNamara had any clue that this pick was and still is the highest the Leafs have ever drafted? Would he have chosen any differently?
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McNamara entered the 1985 draft with some decent prospects he had selected in previous drafts. He called the names of Gary Leeman (1982), Russ Courtnall (1983) and Al Iafrate (1984) but none would impact the fanbase as much as the name he called in 1985 with the first overall selection, Wendel Clark.
Clark is arguably one of the most beloved Leaf of past and present fame. His hard work ethic, thundering body checks and powerful wrist shot ensured him a place of legendary status. Since the benefit of hindsight makes all analysts and armchair GMs experts, looking back at the draft, how did McNamara fair that day? He could have selected anyone. As good as Wendel became, was he the best option?
Here were the First Round picks from 1985
1. Wendel Clark, Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Craig Simpson, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Craig Wolanin, New Jersey Devils
4. Jim Sandlak, Vancouver Canucks
5. Dana Murzyn, Hartford Whalers
6. Brad Dalgarno, New York Islanders
7. Ulf Dahlen, New York Rangers
8. Brent Fedyk, Detroit Red Wings
9. Craig Duncanson, Los Angeles Kings
10. Dan Gratton, Boston Bruins
11. Dave Manson, Chicago Blackhawks
12. Jose Charbonneau, Montreal Canadiens
13. Derek King, New York Islanders
14. Calle Johansson, Buffalo Sabres
15. David Latta, Quebec Nordiques
16. Tom Chorske, Montreal Canadiens
17. Chris Biotti, Calgary Flames
18. Ryan Stewart, Winnipeg Jets
19. Yvon Corriveau, Washington Capitals
20. Scott Metcalfe, Edmonton Oilers
21. Glen Seabrooke, Philadelphia Flyers
Clearly and unequivocally, yes he was the best that draft year.
He was also connected to some pretty big trades.
In 1994, in a move that rivaled the Gretzky trade of 1988, Wendel was sent to the Quebec Nordiques with the principal piece coming back being a young gun named Mats Sundin. I don’t think I left my house for a few days after that. The world just didn’t seem to be a happy place anymore. But we eventually picked up the pieces and moved on.
In his classic song, Boys of Summer which was released the year before Wendel was drafted, Don Henley wrote some fortuitous lyrics, “a little voice inside my head said don’t look back, you can never look back.” It’s too bad Henley’s voice wasn’t talking to then GM Cliff Fletcher. As happy as I was to see Clark back in blue and white, Fletcher brought Wendel home in a package deal with the New York Islanders that included a first round pick that became Roberto Luongo.
Sigh.
I guess I should listen to Don Henley again who also wrote, “those days are gone forever, I should just let them go.” Just like my feathered hair, parachute pants and Quiet Riot concert t-shirt, some things are best left in the past.
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